Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada Illustrated Standard

Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada Illustrated Standard Introduction This is the first edition of the Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada s Illustrated Standard. In 2011, DPCC members decided that we needed an informative and illustrated format with which to present the standard to the judges, breeders, and fanciers of the Doberman Pinscher. The drawings have been done by Jeanne Flora, and the drawings of the teeth are courtesy of Dr. Peter Emily. We thank the members of the committee, who put long hours and much thought into what is presented here. Committee Members Cherie Holmes Fred Heal Carolyn Irvine Pat Blenkey Mary White Thank you to Judith Plumb for the countless proofreading hours given to this project and to Rachel Jesse for overseeing the layout of the booklet. We would like to thank Dr. Peter Emily for his contribution on dentition in this publication. Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada Illustrated Standard Page 1

The DPCC Breed Standard Origin and purpose The Doberman Pinscher originated in Germany around 1890, and takes its name from Louis Dobermann. It was used almost exclusively as a guard dog. In today's society the properly bred specimen makes a loving and obedient family companion. General appearance The appearance is that of a dog of good middle size, with a body that is square: the height measured vertically from the ground to the highest point of the withers equaling the length, measured horizontally from the forechest to the rear projection of the upper thigh. The Doberman should be elegant in appearance, with proud carriage, reflecting great nobility, and should be compactly built, muscular and powerful for great endurance and speed. Temperament Energetic, watchful, determined, alert, fearless, loyal and obedient. Size Height at withers males, 26 to 28 inches, ideal 27½ inches (70 cm); females, 24 to 26 inches, ideal 25½" (65 cm). Males, decidedly masculine, without coarseness. Females, decidedly feminine, without over-refinement. Deviation from ideal height to be penalized in proportion to the amount of deviation. Coat and colour Smooth haired, short, hard, thick and close lying. Invisible grey undercoat on neck permissible. Allowed colours: black, red, blue and fawn. In each colour the more strongly pigmented coat is the more desirable. Markings: rust red, sharply defined, and appearing above each eye, on muzzle, throat and forechest, on all legs and feet, and below tail. White on chest not exceeding one-half square inch permissible. Disqualifying Fault: Dogs not of an allowed colour. Head Long and dry, resembling a blunt wedge, both frontal and profile views. When seen from the front, the head widens gradually towards the base of the ears in a practically unbroken line. Top of skull flat, turning with slight stop to bridge of muzzle, with muzzle line extending parallel to the top line of the skull. Length of muzzle equal to length of skull. Cheeks flat and muscular. Lips, lying close to the jaws, and not drooping. Jaws full and powerful, well filled under the eyes. Nose solid black in black dogs, dark brown in reds, dark grey in blues, and dark tan in fawns. Teeth strongly developed. Lower incisors upright and touching inside of upper incisors a true scissors bite. Forty-two teeth (22 in lower jaw and 20 in upper jaw) correctly placed. Distemper teeth not to be penalized. Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada Illustrated Standard Page 2

Eyes almond-shaped, not round, moderately deep set, not prominent, with vigorous, energetic expression. Iris of uniform colour, ranging from medium to darkest brown in black dogs, the darker shade being the more desirable. In reds, blues and fawns, the colour of the iris should blend with that of the markings. Ears either cropped or uncropped. The upper attachment of the ear, when alert, should be on a level with the top of the skull. If cropped, the ears should be well trimmed and carried erect. If uncropped, they should be small and neat, and set high on the head. Neck Carried proudly, well muscled and dry. Well arched, and with nape of neck widening gradually toward body. Length of neck proportioned to body and head. Head may be carried slightly lower when moving, for greater reach of forequarters. Forequarters Shoulder blade sloping forward and downward at a 45-degree angle to the ground, and meeting the upper arm at an angle of 90 degrees. Shoulder to be as close to 45 degrees as possible and set well back. Relative length of shoulder and upper arm should be as one to one; excess length of shoulder blade is more a fault than excess length of upper arm. Height from elbow to withers approximately equals height from ground to elbow. Legs seen from the front and side perfectly straight and parallel to each other from elbow to pastern; muscled and sinewy, with round, heavy bone. In a normal position, and when gaiting, the elbows should lie close to the brisket. Pasterns firm, with an almost perpendicular position to the ground. Feet well-arched, compact and cat-like, turning neither in nor out. Slight toeing out much less undesirable than toeing in. Dewclaws may be removed. Body Back short, firm, of sufficient width, and muscular at the loin extending in a straight line from withers to the slightly rounded croup. Withers pronounced and forming the highest point of the body. Brisket full and broad, reaching deep to the elbow. Chest broad, and forechest well defined. Ribs well sprung from the spine, but flattened at lower end to provide elbow clearance. Belly well tucked up, extending in a curved line from chest. Loins well muscled. Hips broad in proportion to body, breadth of hips being approximately equal to breadth of body at rib spring. Hindquarters In balance with forequarters. Upper shanks long, wide, and well muscled on both sides of thigh, with clearly defined stifles. Hocks while the dog is at rest: hock to heel should be perpendicular to the ground. Upper shanks, lower shanks and hocks parallel to each other, and wide enough apart to fit in with a properly built body. The hip bone should fall away from the spinal column at an angle of about 30 degrees. Upper shank and lower shank are equal in length. The upper shank should be at right angles to the hip bone. Croup well filled out. Cat feet, as on front legs, turning neither in nor out. Dewclaws, if any, may be removed. Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada Illustrated Standard Page 3

Tail Tail docked at approximately the second joint; should appear to be the continuation of the spine, without material drop. Gait The gait should be free, balanced and effortless, with good reach in the forequarters and good driving power in the hindquarters. When trotting there should be a strong rear action drive. Hocks should fully extend. Each rear leg should move in line with the foreleg on the same side. Rear and front legs should be thrown neither in nor out. Back should remain strong, firm and level. When moving at a fast trot the properly built dog will single track. Faults Feminine dogs, masculine bitches. Light tan or muddied markings. Overly large markings. Head out of balance in proportion to body. Ram's, dish-faced, cheeky or snipey head. Any deviation from the correct number or placement of teeth to be penalized in direct proportion to the amount of deviation. Slit eyes, glassy eyes, round eyes. Weak or knuckled-over pasterns. Hare feet, splay feet. Overly rounded or flat croup. Major Faults Coarseness, fine Greyhound build. Loose shoulder, straight shoulder. Sway or roach back. Straight stifles, cow-hocks, spread hocks, sickle hocks. Disqualifications Shyness, viciousness. Overshot more than 3/16 in. (0.5 cm), undershot more than 1/8 in. (0.3 cm). Four or more missing teeth. Dogs not of an allowed colour. Shyness A dog shall be judged fundamentally shy if, refusing to stand for examination, it shrinks away from the judge; if it fears an approach from the rear; if it shies at sudden and unusual noises to a marked degree. Viciousness A dog that attacks, or attempts to attack either the judge or its handler, is definitely vicious. An aggressive or belligerent attitude towards other dogs shall not be deemed vicious. Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada Illustrated Standard Page 4

Scale of Points GENERAL CONFORMATION AND APPEARANCE Proportions 8 Bone and substance 8 Temperament, expression and nobility 8 Condition 5 29 HEAD Shape 6 Teeth 5 Eyes 3 Ears 1 15 NECK 3 3 BODY Back line, withers, loin, tail placement 8 Chest, brisket, rib spring, tuck up 8 Shape and proportions 4 20 FOREQUARTERS Shoulders, upper arms, legs 5 Pasterns, angulation 4 Paws 2 11 HINDQUARTERS Upper thigh, stifle 5 Hocks, angulation 4 Paws 2 11 GAIT 6 6 COAT, COLOUR AND MARKINGS 5 5 TOTAL 100 Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada Illustrated Standard Page 5

Origin and Purpose The Doberman Pinscher originated in Germany around 1890, and takes its name from Louis Dobermann. It was used almost exclusively as a guard dog. In today's society the properly bred specimen makes a loving and obedient family companion. Many breeds were used in the building of the Doberman, including the Beauceron, Greyhound, Great Dane, Manchester Terrier, Old German Shepherd Dog and some hunting dogs. As you read the standard, you will find some things mentioned as deviations from the standard that may remind you of the original breeds that were used to make the Doberman. This is not by chance. When you see a Doberman, we want you to see the whole cloth, not the threads that have been used to make the fabric. General Appearance The appearance is that of a dog of good middle size, with a body that is square: the height measured vertically from the ground to the highest point of the withers equaling the length, measured horizontally from the forechest to the rear projection of the upper thigh. The Doberman should be elegant in appearance, with proud carriage, reflecting great nobility, and should be compactly built, muscular and powerful for great endurance and speed. The Doberman is a square breed. The essence of the standard can be found in the proud carriage of the crested neck, the appearance of owning the ground they walk on, and a front and rear that are harmonious. The Doberman may sometimes appear larger than he is because of his proud carriage. The compact and muscular body has a seamless, sleek and powerful quality. The head, with its noble expression, and his self-confidence give him what we refer to as the look of eagles. There are no parts that draw your eye, but rather a neck that flows smoothly into the shoulders and a topline with no dips or bumps, ending in a 2 o clock tail carriage that is definitely a continuation of the spine. Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada Illustrated Standard Page 6

Ideal Male Ideal Female Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada Illustrated Standard Page 7

Ideal Male Ideal Female Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada Illustrated Standard Page 8

Temperament Energetic, watchful, determined, alert, fearless, loyal, and obedient. The Doberman, from his heritage as a guard dog, shall not shy from strangers or show signs of undue aggressiveness or viciousness in the show ring. He will allow strangers to examine him and tolerate children with friendliness and tolerance while being aware of any sign of danger to himself or his handlers. Size Height at withers males, 26 to 28 inches, ideal 27½ inches (70 cm); females, 24 to 26 inches, ideal 25½ inches (65 cm). Males, decidedly masculine, without coarseness. Females, decidedly feminine, without over-refinement. Deviation from ideal height to be penalized in proportion to the amount of deviation. A medium-sized dog, the Doberman must appear solid and balanced within his height and weight range. Males should be from 26 to 28 inches, females 24 to 26 inches at the withers. Weights will be from 80 to 95 pounds for males, and from 65 to 75 pounds for females. They shall not appear oversized or slight, but should give the appearance of musculature necessary to ward off or challenge an aggressor. They shall give the appearance of being an athlete in a smooth-fitting skin and in superior condition. These guidelines describe the ideal, but remember that size is just one part of the whole, and a good dog, large or small, should not be passed over for a poor dog of correct size. The length measurement is from the sternum to the ischium, and the height is measured from the highest point of the withers to the ground. Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada Illustrated Standard Page 9

Correct proportion Long body Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada Illustrated Standard Page 10

Coat and Colour Smooth haired, short, hard, thick and close lying. Invisible grey undercoat on neck permissible. Allowed colours: black, red, blue and fawn. In each colour the more strongly pigmented coat is the more desirable. Markings: rust red, sharply defined, and appearing above each eye, on muzzle, throat and forechest, on all legs and feet, and below tail. White on chest not exceeding one-half square inch permissible. Disqualifying Fault: Dogs not of an allowed colour. A short, hard, thick and close-lying coat gives this breed its hallmark look. A long coat gives a rough look that is more reminiscent of the ancestors of the breed, and is not what we value. The skin does not show through on a good coat. The Doberman is a solid-coloured dog with the specific tan-point pattern of rust markings. In each colour the more sharply defined markings are preferred. Any base coat colour or markings other than the allowed black, red, blue or fawn (Isabella) are to be disqualified. Markings front and rear views Correct size and placement of markings. Deep rust is preferable to straw yellow. Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada Illustrated Standard Page 11

Head Long and dry, resembling a blunt wedge, both frontal and profile views. When seen from the front, the head widens gradually towards the base of the ears in a practically unbroken line. Top of skull flat, turning with slight stop to bridge of muzzle, with muzzle line extending parallel to the top line of the skull. Length of muzzle equal to length of skull. Cheeks flat and muscular. Lips, lying close to the jaws, and not drooping. Jaws full and powerful, well filled under the eyes. The head should be long, but in balance with the neck and body. A dry muzzle means clean, with no superfluous skin or flews. The head is balanced, with muzzle and skull being equal, and all being in balance with the body. The tight skin on the head gives no wrinkles on the brow. The Doberman s job requires that he have a strong jaw, with good muscling, and good bone under the eye as well as full dentition with strong teeth and proper occlusion. When seen from the side, the skull planes should be parallel and the underjaw apparent. Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada Illustrated Standard Page 12

Snipey muzzle Wet, lippy muzzle Dish faced Too little stop, down faced Roman nose prominent frontal arch Low ear set Cheeky but good ear set Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada Illustrated Standard Page 13

Teeth Teeth strongly developed. Lower incisors upright and touching inside of upper incisors a true scissors bite. Forty-two teeth (22 in lower jaw and 20 in upper jaw) correctly placed. Distemper teeth not to be penalized. Incorrect bites include a level bite (the upper incisors meet the lower incisors at the biting edge), an undershot bite (the lower teeth extend beyond the upper teeth), and an overshot bite (the upper teeth extend beyond the lower teeth without contact). There should be 42 correctly placed teeth. In examining a Doberman, the judge is expected to open the mouth fully to see the upper and lower rear dentition. The standard calls for correctly placed teeth including occlusion (fit of the teeth). The upper premolars should fit neatly between the lower premolars. The teeth should be large and close. The upper and lower surfaces should meet properly for maximum strength. The teeth, muzzle and underjaw are interrelated. Each element can affect the others. Missing teeth are considered to be structural faults because they can affect the other elements of the head and because they have a direct bearing on the dog s ability to fulfill his working purpose. Missing teeth can appear in a number of places. Sometimes there will be five incisors that are evenly spaced, and a missing tooth can be difficult to detect. Missing premolars are the most common. Occasionally the rear-most molar is missing, especially in the lower jaw. It is imperative to open the mouth to view the back molars, as it is impossible to see or feel them with the mouth closed. Dobermans can sometimes have extra teeth, usually in the premolar area. One or two extra teeth are fairly common. Although there is no disqualification for extra teeth, the standard does call for 42 correctly placed teeth. Extra teeth deviate from the standard in two ways: the extra number of teeth is a deviation from 42, and the extra teeth affect the correct placement of the other teeth. Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada Illustrated Standard Page 14

Undershot Overshot Correct placement and number of teeth Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada Illustrated Standard Page 15

Eyes Eyes almond-shaped, not round, moderately deep set, not prominent, with vigorous, energetic expression. Iris of uniform colour, ranging from medium to darkest brown in black dogs, the darker shade being the more desirable. In reds, blues and fawns, the colour of the iris should blend with that of the markings. The eyes give the Doberman his expression, which depicts intelligence and fearlessness. The dark, almond-shaped eye is neither malevolent nor soft. Round eyes can create a softer, more gentle appearance than desired in the Doberman. The Doberman is a protection dog and should have eyes that convey alertness, determination, watchfulness, and an unmistakable fearlessness. Similarly, light eyes and bird-of-prey eyes are deviations from the standard. Although we allow less, our goal should be as Greunig advised. The basic color of the eye should be dark: from deep brown to black in the blacks and conforming to hair color in the browns. This would properly permit a much lighter eye in the blues (and fawns). Philipp Greunig wrote the book The Dobermann Pinscher in 1934. Herr Greunig was a breeder and Dobermann fancier from Germany. His work has been the foundation of all breeders libraries since the book was published in 1939. Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada Illustrated Standard Page 16

Ears Ears either cropped or uncropped. The upper attachment of the ear, when alert, should be on a level with the top of the skull. If cropped, the ears should be well trimmed and carried erect. If uncropped, they should be small and neat, and set high on the head. The ears are most often cropped and should stand erect. The cropped ear gives this breed its characteristic alert look, as well as aiding in sound location. If uncropped, the ears must not impede the dog s hearing ability by being hound-like, or lying in folds that block sound. When alert, the uncropped ear will lift slightly. The leading edge of the uncropped ear should lie close to the head at rest and outline the shape of the head, not standing off from the head at the front view or appearing excessively long from the side. Correct earset Uncropped, correct Domed skull, low earset Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada Illustrated Standard Page 17

Neck Carried proudly, well muscled and dry. Well arched, and with nape of neck widening gradually toward body. Length of neck proportioned to body and head. Head may be carried slightly lower when moving, for greater reach of forequarters. The arched and crested neck gives the Doberman much of his proud carriage. Once again, balance is the key to the outline of the breed, with the neck being approximately one-third of the body length. The neck must not have loose skin, but be clean and dry. Correct Ewe neck Stovepipe Short, thick Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada Illustrated Standard Page 18

Forequarters Shoulder blade sloping forward and downward at a 45-degree angle to the ground, and meeting the upper arm at an angle of 90 degrees. Shoulder to be as close to 45 degrees as possible and set well back. Relative length of shoulder and upper arm should be as one to one; excess length of shoulder blade is more a fault than excess length of upper arm. Height from elbow to withers approximately equals height from ground to elbow. Legs seen from the front and side perfectly straight and parallel to each other from elbow to pastern; muscled and sinewy, with round, heavy bone. In a normal position, and when gaiting, the elbows should lie close to the brisket. Pasterns firm, with an almost perpendicular position to the ground. Feet well-arched, compact and cat-like, turning neither in nor out. Slight toeing out much less undesirable than toeing in. Dewclaws may be removed. The Doberman is an outline breed, the shoulder angulation appears close to 45 degrees, while still being in balance with the rear. The correct front will have the neck flow smoothly into the well-laid-on shoulder blades. The upper arm should be equal in length to the shoulder blade. This will give the correct amount of forechest when seen from the side. The correct bone length and placement will be covered in the muscle and flesh of the forechest and brisket, and is discernible in an uncoated breed. Using your hand, spread your thumb away from your fingers to make a right angle. You can use this to help in identifying the angle of the shoulder and upper arm. Round, heavy bone is apparent making the Doberman neither clumsy nor weak looking. Balance of proportion is evident in the equal distance from withers to elbow to the ground. Balance of the rear and front angles is imperative for the square dog to move correctly. The pasterns should be almost perpendicular, but allowing for shock absorption. The cat-like feet with well-trimmed nails are essential features of this athletic breed. Correct pastern Knuckled over Weak pastern Splayed foot Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada Illustrated Standard Page 19

Body Back short, firm, of sufficient width, and muscular at the loin extending in a straight line from withers to the slightly rounded croup. Withers pronounced and forming the highest point of the body. Brisket full and broad, reaching deep to the elbow. Chest broad, and forechest well defined. Ribs well sprung from the spine, but flattened at lower end to provide elbow clearance. Belly well tucked up, extending in a curved line from chest. Loins well muscled. Hips broad in proportion to body, breadth of hips being approximately equal to breadth of body at rib spring. The connection of the front and rear needs to be strong. The breed s ability to pivot and turn quickly comes from the short, strong loin. The withers must not be pronounced because of an upright shoulder. The shoulders, spring of rib and rear should be equal in width when seen from above. The narrowing of the rib cage at the elbows is crucial for correct movement. Look down from above the dog to see that the elbows are neatly tucked into the body. The underline is as important as the topline, as it gives the overall outline its finishing touch. Correct view from above Slab sided Wasp waisted Barrel ribbed Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada Illustrated Standard Page 20

Ideal Straight front Overdone Pigeon breast Elbows in, toeing out Narrow front, toeing in Wide front, elbows out Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada Illustrated Standard Page 21

COMMON OUTLINE FAULTS Long body Short on leg Too refined High on leg, legs too long Too coarse Flat topline, gay tail Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada Illustrated Standard Page 22

COMMON OUTLINE FAULTS Sway back Roached back Too much tuck up, high tailset Too little tuck up, low tailset Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada Illustrated Standard Page 23

Hindquarters In balance with forequarters. Upper shanks long, wide, and well muscled on both sides of thigh, with clearly defined stifles. Hocks while the dog is at rest: hock to heel should be perpendicular to the ground. Upper shanks, lower shanks and hocks parallel to each other, and wide enough apart to fit in with a properly built body. The hip bone should fall away from the spinal column at an angle of about 30 degrees. Upper shank and lower shank are equal in length. The upper shank should be at right angles to the hip bone. Croup well filled out. Cat feet, as on front legs, turning neither in nor out. Dewclaws, if any, may be removed. Once again, balance is the key. Both the upper and lower thighs need to be equal, and ideally are equal to the front angles. Hocks should not be long, but rather short, and perpendicular to the ground. A common fault is the lower thigh being too long, putting the rear farther back than it should be and weakening the rear. This imbalance in the angles will show in the movement. A plumb line dropped from the rear projection of the hip should fall to the ground just at the front of the toes. Ideal rear Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada Illustrated Standard Page 24

Some common rear faults Too much rear angulation, too much topline slope Rear too straight, high in rear Long 2nd thigh, long/high hocks Sickle hocks Cow hocks Spread hocks Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada Illustrated Standard Page 25

Tail Tail docked at approximately the second joint; should appear to be the continuation of the spine, without material drop. Some handlers will push the tail into a more upright position than the standard requires. Judge the correct tail position when the dog is moving or at rest. As stated above, it should be a continuation of the spine, and carried at about 2 o clock when alert or moving. A tail that is more upright, at 12 o clock for instance, is usually indicative of a croup that is too flat. The slightly rounded croup is an aid in the Doberman s ability to pivot and turn in close range, and a flat croup hinders this. Judge the correct tail set while dog is moving Gay tail High tail set Low tail set Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada Illustrated Standard Page 26

Gait The gait should be free, balanced and effortless with good reach in the forequarters and good driving power in the hindquarters. When trotting there should be a strong rear action drive. Hocks should fully extend. Each rear leg should move in line with the foreleg on the same side. Rear and front legs should be thrown neither in nor out. Back should remain strong, firm and level. When moving at a fast trot the properly built dog will single track. The ideal balanced movement has been described in the standard. However, the Doberman is a galloping breed, and balance is crucial to being able to do his job. He is not a long-distance worker, and a longer-bodied dog with a big side gait is not able to do the job any better than a balanced dog with a less extravagant go around. Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada Illustrated Standard Page 27

Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada Illustrated Standard Page 28

Faults Disqualifications Faults Feminine dogs, masculine bitches. Light tan or muddied markings. Overly large markings. Head out of balance in proportion to body. Ram's, dish-faced, cheeky or snipey head. Any deviation from the correct number or placement of teeth to be penalized in direct proportion to the amount of deviation. Slit eyes, glassy eyes, round eyes. Weak or knuckled-over pasterns. Hare feet, splay feet. Overly rounded or flat croup. Major Faults Coarseness, fine Greyhound build. Loose shoulder, straight shoulder. Sway or roach back. Straight stifles, cow-hocks, spread hocks, sickle hocks. Disqualifications Shyness, viciousness. Overshot more than 3/16 in. (0.5 cm), undershot more than 1/8 in. (0.3 cm). Four or more missing teeth. Dogs not of an allowed colour. Shyness A dog shall be judged fundamentally shy if, refusing to stand for examination, it shrinks away from the judge; if it fears an approach from the rear; if it shies at sudden and unusual noises to a marked degree. Viciousness A dog that attacks, or attempts to attack either the judge or its handler is definitely vicious. An aggressive or belligerent attitude towards other dogs shall not be deemed vicious. Shyness and viciousness remain a disqualification in the Canadian standard. This reflects the importance we place on this issue. An adult dog that shows signs of fearfulness must never be rewarded. The attempted introduction of the white Doberman has forced us to add the Not of an allowed colour disqualification. As there has never been a white Doberman in the official history of the breed, we feel that this colour has been introduced by improper breeding. The negative side-effects of albinism are too great for us to allow this to infect the breed. Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada Illustrated Standard Page 29

Comparison of Standards The following pages present a synopsis of the major differences between the CKC, AKC, FCI, and KC standards. This is an informative world view, but you are reminded that when in Canada, you must adhere to the standard presented by the Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada, as held by the CKC. If you read the full standards of each organization, you will find that we are all looking for the same dog. AKC Standard Temperament Energetic, watchful, determined, alert, fearless, loyal and obedient. The judge shall dismiss from the ring any shy or vicious Doberman. Shyness: A dog shall be judged fundamentally shy if, refusing to stand for examination, it shrinks away from the judge; if it fears an approach from the rear; if it shies at sudden and unusual noises to a marked degree. Viciousness: A dog that attacks or attempts to attack either the judge or its handler is definitely vicious. An aggressive or belligerent attitude towards other dogs shall not be deemed viciousness. Faults: The foregoing description is that of the ideal Doberman Pinscher. Any deviation from the above described dog must be penalized to the extent of the deviation Disqualifications Overshot more than 3/16 of an inch Undershot more than 1/8 of an inch Four or more missing teeth Dogs not of an allowed color The DPCA removed the disqualifications for shyness and viciousness from the list of disqualifications in its breed standard for the Doberman Pinscher. The wording for shyness and viciousness, however, is still listed under required Temperament for the breed, along with the statement that the judge shall dismiss from the ring any shy or vicious Doberman. Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada Illustrated Standard Page 30

Comparison of Standards The Kennel Club (last updated October 2009) The main difference in the English standard is that there are no disqualifying faults, only faults, and cowlicks on the neck or spine are listed as highly undesirable. Faults Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog. Note Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum. Hair forming a ridge on back of neck and/or along spine highly undesirable. If a dog possesses a feature, characteristic or colour described as undesirable or highly undesirable, it is strongly recommended that it should not be rewarded in the show ring. The FCI Disqualifying Faults: General: Pronounced reversal of sexual impressions Eyes: Yellow eyes (bird of prey eye); wall eye Dentition: Overshot; level bite; undershot; missing teeth Testicles: Absence of two normally developed testicles in the scrotum Coat: White spots; pronounced long and wavy hair; pronounced thin coat or large bald patches Character: Fearful; shy; nervous and overly aggressive animals Size: Dogs which deviate more than two centimetres over or under the standard In the FCI standard, Pronounced reversal of sexual impressions is considered as doggy bitches and /or bitchy dogs. Also, missing teeth is considered as any missing tooth. Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada Illustrated Standard Page 31

Synopsis of the DPCC Standard Synopsis of the DPCC Standard Medium size, with a body that is square Elegant in appearance, with round heavy bone Proud carriage, reflecting great nobility Compactly built, muscular and powerful Males ideally about 27½ inches tall, females 25½ inches tall Deviation from ideal height, as with all qualities, to be penalized in proportion to the amount of the deviation from the standard Males decidedly masculine without coarseness, females decidedly feminine without over-refinement Smooth, short, hard, thick, close-lying coat Four allowed colours only: black, red, blue and fawn, all with tan markings Some things to think about: The emphasis is on overall proportion, bone and substance. Temperament and expression. Topline and a correctly proportioned body. No one part should stand out because it disrupts the balance. Dobermans should be a combination of a well-angulated balanced front and rear in a square package. Necks should flow into the shoulders and not look stuck on or attached at right angles. Shyness and viciousness are the only disqualifying faults not listed in the American standard remember that breeders view poor temperament as a very important issue. Don t confuse alertness or suspicion with viciousness or shyness. Watch for proper occlusion and missing or extra teeth, but if everything else is there, don t be afraid of missing teeth. Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada Illustrated Standard Page 32